Display-box for fruits and vegetables.



I P. E. GABANIS. DISPLAY BOX EoE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 8.

904,404. Patented Nov. 17,1908.

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS FRANK EDWIN GABANIS, OF PLATTEVILLE, WISCONSIN.

DISPLAY-BOX FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed March 23, 1908. Serial No. 422,667.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK EDWIN CA- RANIS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Platteville, Grant county, VVisconsin, haveinvented an Improvement in Improved Display-Boxes for Fruits andVegetables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a skeleton guard for boxes or otherreceptacles for fruits and vegetables, and other articles. The guard isso constructed that it is extensible lengthwise and thus adapted forboxes of different lengths, and it is also adjustable outward, or atdifferent angles to the open side of the box or receptacle.

The details of construction, arrangement, and combination of partsembodying my invention, are as hereinafter described and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of adouble, or two-compartment, box provided with my improved guard. Fig. 2is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the guard.

The box 1 is shown provided with two compartments whose open side is atthe front. The guard is composed of a series of longitudinal rods orbars 2, and side plates 3, the latter being essentially triangular inform and pivoted to the lower front corners of the box and arrangedparallel to the lower ends of the same, and, therefore, at right anglesto the longitudinal bars or rods 2. The side plates 3 are provided intheir upper portions with are slots 4 which receive headed studs or pins5 that are fixed in the ends of the box exteriorly, and close to thefront edge. Screw-nuts 6 are applied to these studs or pins, which arethreaded correspondingly. It is apparent from this construction andcombination of parts, that the plates may be turned on their pivots andthrown inward or outward, as required to place the skeleton portion ofthe guard at a greater or less inclination to the front of the box 1,and that the plates 3 may be clamped in any inclination or adjustment,by means of the nuts 6. Thus, the skeleton portion of the guard may beplaced parallel to the front of the box, or at a vertical inclinationthereto, as may be required to more freely display the contents of thebox. The outer ends of the rods 2 are connected with the plates 3 byslitting and bending over the outer edges of the plates. In other words,by slotting or notching the front edges of the plates and bending in theintervening port-ions, eyes are formed which serve to receive the loopedends of the rods or bars 2. It is to be understood, however, that theconnection between the other convenient or preferred manner.

In order to adapt the guard for boxes of difierent lengths, the bars 2are made extensible. As a cheap and convenient construction to providefor this function, the inner ends of the rods or bars 2, may be curvedtransversely to form eyes which receive the opposite rods or bars, thetwo parts being thus adapted to slide telescopically on each other, aswill be readily understood from the drawing. The pivots 7 of the endplates 3 are preferably formed of screws and thus the entire guard isadapted to be readily applied to or detached from any box.

It will be seen that the end plates 3 are adapted by reason of the jointbetween them and the rods 2, to fold against the inner sides of the rodsso as to lie flat or parallel thereto. This feature and the adaptationof the rods to slide on each other, enables the guard to be folded orcontracted to a very small compass so that it may be transported orstored with greater facility.

I provide a form of central support for the wires 2, which isparticularly needed when the latter are of unusual length. The supportcomprises a rod 8 whose ends are looped about the upper and lower wires,and a chain 9 which is attached to the upper loop of said rod anddetachably connected with a hook which is fixed in the central partitionof the box 1. The rod 8 lies outside the wires intervening the top andbottom one and thus supports all the wires against outward pressure. Itis obvious that the chain 9 may be taken up or let out as required toaccommodate the different vertical inclina tions at which the attachmentmay be placed.

Vhat I claim is:

l. The combination with a box having an open front, of a skeleton guardcomprising end plates which are pivoted and adapted for adjustment attheir outer ends forward and back, and bars arranged parallel andconnecting such end portions, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a box having an open front, of a guard therefor,comprising end portions which are pivoted at their lower ends and meansfor securing the upper ends arts 2, 3, may be made in any of the sameadjustably, and a series of rods or bars which are extensible in length,

whereby the guard is adapted for boxes of difierent lengths,substantially as described.

3. The improved guard comprising a body portion which is extensible, andend portions adapted for adjustment on the ends of a box and suitablyconnected with the body portion, substantially as described.

4. The improved guard for the purpose specified, comprising a bodyportion formed of rods which are telescopically connected, and endplates with which said rods are also connected, the same being adaptedfor attachment to the ends of a box, substantially as described.

5. The improved guard comprising a series of bars which are slidable oneach other, and end plates jointed with the ends of said bars andadapted to fold inward against the same, so as to lie parallel thereto,as shown and described.

6. The combination with a box having an open front and a guard appliedthereto and consisting of end pieces adapted for attachment to the endsof the box, and a series of wires connecting such pieces of a centralsupport consisting of a rod attached to the wires and extending outsidethereof, a chain connected with the upper end of the rod and a devicefixed to the box with which such chain engages, detachably,substantially as described.

7. The improved guard comprising a body portion, and end plates whichare hinged thereto at their outer edges and adapted to fold against thebody portion so as to lie flat or parallel thereto, as shown anddescribed.

FRANK EDWIN CABANIS.

\ t itnesses JAMES DoLAN, lANFRnD S. BLOCK.

